 Above, Andy Clyde (1892-1967) was born in Scotland, and during the 1920s, was part of the comedy stable at Mack Sennett's studio. In the 1930s, he made a bunch of two-reel shorts for Columbia. His best remembered role to western fans is that of 'California Carlson', the saddle pal to William Boyd's Hopalong Cassidy. In the late 1940s, Clyde was at Monogram as the sidekick to Whip Wilson, and was a regular cast member of early TV shows THE REAL MCCOYS and LASSIE. Les Adams has Clyde identified in 200+ sound era films and that includes 58 westerns. Jim Tipton's Find-A-Grave website has a picture of the grave marker for Clyde at Forest Lawn - Glendale: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=4538  Although some of the data is incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) has information on Andy Clyde. Click HERE. |
 (Courtesy of Minard Coons) Above, sidekick Harry Harvey, Sr. (1901 - 1985) with singing cowboy Fred Scott during their late 1930s films. Harvey easily migrated to TV work and was "Sheriff Tom Blodgett" in the ROY ROGERS TV show (Blodgett was also portrayed by Reed Howes). He was also seen in various bit and supporting roles, and a couple of examples are: as manager Joe McCarthy in THE PRIDE OF THE YANKEES (1942), the saga of Yankee baseball player Lou Gehrig (played by Gary Cooper); and as the doctor telling Jimmy Stewart about June Allyson's medical condition in THE GLENN MILLER STORY (1954). Les Adams has Harvey identified in 250+ sound era films, and that includes 82 westerns and a dozen cliffhangers. Although some of the data is incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) has information on Harry Harvey, Sr. Click HERE.His son, Harry Harvey, Jr. (1929-1978) did some film and TV appearance work as well as directing some TV shows like MANNIX. Although some of the data is incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) has information on Harry Harvey, Jr. Click HERE.
 (Courtesy of Les Adams) Above are Charles 'Slim' Whitaker and Harry Harvey in a scene from LONE STAR PIONEERS (Columbia, 1939), which starred Bill Elliott. |
 (Courtesy of Dale Crawford & Jim Sorensen) |  | Valhalla Memorial Park, North Hollywood, California, Lot 17, Section 933, Block L. |
 Above, from L-to-R are Maxwell Emmett 'Pat' Buttram (1915 or 1917-1994) ... Gail "Annie Oakley" Davis (1925-1997, real name: Betty Jeanne Grayson) ... and Gene Autry. Buttram was Autry's saddle pal during his later Columbia films as well as Autry's Melody Ranch radio program. He was one of the National Barn Dance performers during the 1930s, and ultimately went to Hollywood. In later years, he portrayed Mr. Haney on TV's GREEN ACRES. He was also the founder of the 'Golden Boot Awards' which honors western film performers. Les Adams has Buttram identified in 18 films, and 17 of those are westerns.
Jim Tipton's Find-A-Grave website has a picture of the grave marker for Pat Buttram who is interred in Haleyville, Alabama: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=1802 |
 (Courtesy of Les Adams) Above, from L-to-R are Vincent 'Vince' Barnett (1902-1977) and Ken Maynard, and on the ground is Martin Garralaga. From Maynard's BOOTS OF DESTINY (Grand National, 1937). Les Adams has Barnett identified in about 145 sound era films, and that includes two dozen westerns. Although some of the data is incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) has information on Vince Barnett. Click HERE. |
 Above, Si 'Rawhide' Jenks (sometimes Cy Jenks) was a comic on the Orpheum vaudeville circuit. His real name was Howard H. Jenkins (1876-1970), and he was born in Pennsylvania. In the 1920s, he and Lilian Hartford worked together in comedy routines in vaudeville and they were married in New Jersey in 1926. They moved to Hollywood in 1929 and both began film work. In his fifties, Jenks started his Hollywood career in early sound films. And during the next 20+ years, he specialized in portraying old sheriffs, old prospectors, and assorted toothless old codgers. Jenks can be spotted in both A and B grade films, including low-budget westerns starring Roy Rogers, the Trail Blazers, more. Jenks was not a consistent sidekick, though he did portray a helper to a few cowboy heroes like Tim McCoy and Sunset Carson. Si and Lilian spent their final years at the Motion Picture and Television Home and Hospital facility in Woodland Hills, California. Si passed away in 1970 and Lilian passed in 1983. Les Adams has Jenks identified in about 160 sound era films, and that includes 75 westerns and 4 chapterplays.
Jim Tipton's Find-A-Grave website has a photo and info on the final resting place for Si Jenks at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills. The grave marker shows that Jenkins was a member of the Pennsylvania infantry during the Spanish American War: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=5895396 |
 Above, Tom Tyler has his mitts on burly Dick Alexander, who is best remembered as "El Lobo" in ZORRO RIDES AGAIN (1937) serial and as Prince Barin in the first FLASH GORDON chapterplay. On the left is Milburn Morante and the heroine is Jerry Bergh. Milburn Charles Morante (1887-1964) was a vaudeville performer who worked in silent era comedy films with his brother Al and father Joe. Around 1918, he formed his own film company, Mercury Pictures, with his family on the payroll. Morante directed some silents with future B western badman George Chesebro in the lead. His Mercury/Morante Productions company was short-lived and by the mid 1920s, Morante was directing some Pete Morrison oaters at Universal. In sound era westerns, he generally portrayed a grizzled ol' propector, a store owner, a cook, a drunk, etc. Like Si Jenks, Morante was an occasional sidekick. Les Adams has Morante identified in about 140+ sound films and that includes 130 westerns and 9 serials. The Historic Photo Archive website has a photo of Morante doing films circa 1917 with the Universal's Joker comedy unit: http://www.historicphotoarchive.com/caps/00088.html Although some of the data is incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) has information on Milburn Morante. Click HERE. |